James 3:8

But, the tongue, none of mankind can, tame,—A restless mischief! Full of deadly poison

The Emphasised Bible by J. B. Rotherham

In The King James Version

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

In Context

7For, every nature—both of wild beasts and of birds, both of reptiles and of things in the sea, is to be tamed, and hath been tamed, by the human nature;

9Therewith, are we blessing our Lord and Father, and, therewith, we are cursing the men who, after the likeness of God, have been brought into being!

Read all of James 3

Cross References

Psalms 55:21Smoother than curds, were [the words of] his mouth, But, war, was [in] his heart,—Softer his words than oil, Yet, they, were drawn swords!

Psalms 58:4Their poison, is like unto the poison of a serpent, Like the deaf adder, that stoppeth his ear;

Psalms 64:3Who have sharpened, like a sword, their tongue, Have made ready their arrow—a bitter word;

Ecclesiastes 10:11If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.

James 3:6And, the tongue, is a fire,—[as], the world of unrighteousness, the tongue, becometh fixed among our members, that which defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the wheel of our natural life, and is set on fire, by gehenna!

Matthew Henry on James 3:2-13

Government of the Tongue. ( a. d. 61.) 1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study James 3:8